MovieChat Forums > Jaws (1975) Discussion > Steven Spielberg regrets impact on shark...

Steven Spielberg regrets impact on shark population

posted 2 years ago by MikeCable (1911)
4 replies | jump to latest

“I truly and to this day regret the decimation of the shark population because of the book and the film. I really, truly regret that,” said Spielberg, who was 27 years old when the film was made.

“That’s one of the things I still fear. Not to get eaten by a shark, but that sharks are somehow mad at me for the feeding frenzy of crazy sport fishermen that happened after 1975,” Spielberg continued.

Read more:

https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/movies/steven-spielberg-reveals-his-biggest-career-regret/news-story/f7f40e7d471b474aa7952da2e9c3db75

[–] BOandBarbecue (2264) 2 years ago

never apoligize steven. there are million of shark in the sea, who not hesitates to eat you if you stranded and bleed at sea. never have sympathies for animal when you chomp down on fish burger later that evenings.

[–] mikethemartian (6983) 2 years ago

I remember Peter Benchley being interviewed on TV around 2000 or 2001 saying he regretted writing the novel since it led to an increase in shark hunting that he believed was senseless.

[–] aavfreak (3385) 2 years ago

Shark populations are crashing due to harvesting for shark fin soup. This practice would exist with or without Jaws.

According to a report from Oceana in 2017, an estimated 200,000 a day - 73 million sharks a year - are killed for soup. The tragedy of it is the fin is cut off and the entire rest of the animal is discarded. Such a huge waste. Without sharks, the entire ocean ecosystem could collapse.

200,000 a day. For soup. Whew

Any additional hunting triggered by this story/movie is a drop in the bucket comparatively.

[–] Sandman81 (1510) 2 years ago

And if you went back in time to 1975 and gave him two options:

1) He makes the movie that becomes a massive hit that launches his legendary career which is approaching 50 years, but decimates the shark population.

2) He doesn't make the movie, and forever remains some obscure filmmaker that few outside of Hollywood even heard of, but Sharks remain plentiful in the oceans.

He's still taking option one, but I'm sure he makes generous to shark related charities.

I love when celebrities' virtue signal about the works that made them famous but would never give up the fame and fortune that came from them.